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November 5, 2007 Alexander
Cockburn November 3 / 4, 2007 Tariq
Ali David
Price Jeffrey
St. Clair Alan
Farago Paul
Krassner Rannie
Amiri P.
Sainath Ayesha
Ijaza Khan Robert
Fantina Seth
Sandronsky Ron
Jacobs Ramzy
Baroud Heather
Gray
November 2, 2007 Dr.
Mary Pipher Saul
Landau Andy
Worthington Sharon
Smith Gary
Leupp Gregory
Harms Christopher
Brauchli Peter
Morici Dave
Lindorff David
Penner Website
of the Day
November 1, 2007 Paul
Craig Roberts Patrick
Cockburn Dave
Lindorff Jonathan
Feldman Mike
Ferner William
S. Lind Diana
Johnstone Jacob
Hornberger A..K.
Gupta Lyuba
Zarsky / Felice
Pace Website
of the Day
October 31, 2007 Bill
Quigley Rev.
William E. Alberts Ray
McGovern Eric
Walberg V.
G. Smith Luis
J. Rodriguez Sheldon
Richman Walter
Brasch Website
of the Day
David
Price M.
Shahid Alam Andy
Worthington Patrick
Cockburn Anthony
Papa Floyd
Rudmin Sherwood
Ross Website
of the Day
October 29, 2007 Lisa
Hajjar Joe
DeRaymond Patrick
Cockburn Isabella
Kenfield / Fred
Gardner Farzana
Versey Stephen
Fleischman Marcelle
Cendrars Eamonn
McCann Martha
Rosenberg Website
of the Day
October 27 / 28, 2007 Alexander
Cockburn Jeffrey
St. Clair James
Bovard Ralph
Nader M.
Reza Pirbhai Robert
Sandels Jacob
G. Hornberger Missy
Beattie John
Ross Robert
Fantina Ron
Jacobs Ali
Moayedian David
Michael Green Poets
Basement Website
of the Day
October 26, 2007 Brian
Cloughley Saul
Landau Ahmad
Al-Akras Franklin
Lamb Mike
Whitney Dave
Lindorff Alan
Farago Yifat
Susskind Website
of the Day
Jeffrey
St. Clair / Manuel
Garcia, Jr. Paul
Craig Roberts Col.
Dan Smith Alan
Farago Chris
Kutalik Brian
McKinlay Cindy
Sheehan Website
of the Day
October 24, 2007 Natalie
Washington-Weik Andy
Worthington Michael
Birmingham Corporate
Crime Reporter Tariq
Ali Farzana
Versey Dave
Zirin James
Murren Todd
Chretien Martha
Rosenberg Website
of the Day
October 23, 2007 Ralph
Nader Lawrence
R. Velvel Vijay
Prashad Bonnie
Bricker / Dave
Lindorff Mike
Whitney Farzana
Versey Stanley
Heller / Marcelle
Cendrars Regan
Boychuk Website
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October 22, 2007 Ishmael
Reed Marjorie
Cohn Rannie
Amiri Diane
Farsetta Todd
Alan Price Robert
Jensen Stephen
Lendman Jemima
Khan Sunsara
Taylor Binoy
Kampmark Website
of the Day
October 20 / 21, 2007 Alexander
Cockburn Tariq
Ali Jeffrey
St. Clair Andy
Worthington Mike
Whitney Daniel
Wolff David
Rosen Saul
Landau Ron
Jacobs Robert
Fantina David
Heleniak Joe
Allen Prairie
Miller Poets'
Basement Website
of the Weekend
October 19, 2007 John
Ross Sheldon
Rampton Rahul
Mahajan Devra
Davis Christopher
Brauchli Wadner
Pierre Bill
Quigley Website
of the Day
October 18, 2007 Saree
Makdisi Meg
Dwyer Alevtina
Rea Norman
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Larsson Harvey
Wasserman Website
of the Day
October 17, 2007 Steve
Niva Andy
Worthington Alan
Farago Russell
Mokhiber Sharon
Smith Mike
Whitney Robert
Fantina Chris
Irwin Website
of the Day October 16, 2007 Peter
Linebaugh Paul
Findley Robert
Bryce Uri
Avnery Paul
Craig Roberts Ray
McGovern Norman
Solomon Martha
Rosenberg William
S. Lind Joel
S. Hirschborn Website
of the Day
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November 5, 2007 RevivalJohn Fogerty Makes Peace with His PastBy PETER STONE BROWN On Revival (Fantasy Records), John Fogerty comes to terms with and maybe even makes peace with his past. In doing so he's created one of the best albums I've heard this year, and maybe in the past several years. Fogerty's history has been one of pop music's legendary nightmares, involving several lawsuits, lingering bitterness between him and his former band mates in Creedence Clearwater Revival, deals and comebacks that often fizzled into nothing. That he survived at all and continued to make good and often great music (and for seven years he didn't) is something of a miracle. While Fogerty has been criticized for his treatment of the surviving members of Creedence, most notably for refusing to perform with them at the ceremony their induction to the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame, there's never been any doubt from a musical standpoint that Fogerty was the prime force, the genius behind the band's success. On his first solo album, The Blue Ridge Rangers, which was a terrific album of country and gospel covers, he played every instrument himself and if there was a difference in sound, it was undetectable. Fogerty has always been a rocker through and through, but one whose music reveals a vast knowledge of rock and roll and all its contributing forms. Simplicity is the key to both his music and his lyrics. His gift is making it seem effortless. Every word, every note flows naturally. His best songs always gave you the feeling you've heard them all your life and the songs on Revival are no different. All his powers are intact and he may actually be rocking harder than ever. At 62, his vocal powers remain remarkably intact and his guitar work is equals any of his earlier recordings if not surpasses them. Revival features a small, basic band including the great Kenny Aronoff on drums and Heartbreaker Benmont Tench on organ and electric piano. While the sound on Revival is the same mix of Southern swamp, mixed with Memphis soul and touches of country and gospel, he's explored all along, the emotional territory of the album is the first years of the 21st Century, an America as well as a world gone wrong. Sometimes it's way out front and sometimes lurking in the background, but the backdoor Fogerty once looked out of is now closed and locked, the blinds drawn. The small town American vision is still there, but clouded over by fear and suspicion. The album starts with "Don't You Wish It Was True," an irresistible song that starts with a relaxed gospel-tinged rhythm guitar, and by the chorus shifts to a rhythm reminiscent of "Proud Mary." In a sense, the song is Fogerty's version of "Imagine," but he avoids all rhetoric and doesn't hit you over the head with it, drawing you in instead. The following track, "Gunslinger" draws you in the same way. The setting could be a western town, but it's the country he's talking about in the all too clear first verse:
"Creedence Song," a funky acknowledgement of the past he ignored onstage for years is followed by "Broken Down Cowboy," where the melody and the sadness in Fogerty's voice surpasses the lyrics. The gospel soul of the prayer like and beautiful "River is Waiting," lulls you into a sense of false peace only to wake you up with the album's killer track, the nasty blues-infused, "Long Dark Night," a blistering indictment of the Bush administration. Over the raunchiest guitar playing he's ever done, Fogerty shouts, "Georgie's in the jungle/Knockin' on the door/Come to get your children/Wants to have a war." Once upon a time this song would've been played constantly one every FM rock station, but those days are long gone. "Summer of Love," recaptures the spirit of the summer of '67, but the guitar is a tribute to Jimi Hendrix. The rockabilly "It Ain't Right," angrily targets any of the starlets (think Britney Spears) who dominate magazines and cable TV news with their in and out of rehab escapades. The song pales in comparison to the amazing, "I Can't Take It No More." In less than a minute and a half, and rocking as hard as Little Richard ever did, Fogerty says everything that needs to be said about George Bush and the war in Iraq:
The two closing tracks, "Somebody Help Me" and "Longshot" revisit the swamp boogie grooves Fogerty has explored for years with his guitar playing dominating both. While not every track is a standout, the best songs are incredibly powerful and with Fogerty singing, writing and playing in top form, those songs are as good as it gets. Peter Stone Brown is a musician, songwriter, and writer.
He can be reached at: psb51@verizon.net
STEPHEN GREEN reports on the real motivations behind Israel's MISSILE STRIKE on SYRIA. PETER MONTAGUE on the NUCLEAR RENAISSANCE or How the Nuke Industry is using Gore's Prize and Global Warming to Plot Its Big Comeback. WILLIAM BLUM on the DEVALUING of "ANTI-SEMITE" or How to Make a Term Meaningless. Get your copy today by subscribing online or calling 1-800-840-3683 Remember contributions to CounterPunch are tax-deductible. Click here to make a donation. If you find our site useful please: Subscribe Now ![]()
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